CancerLung CancerExplore This TopicShare this articleShareShare on FacebookShare on XShare on PinterestCopy LinkLung CancerGet the facts about lung cancer, from its risk factors and earliest symptoms to the latest diagnostic methods and treatment options. Learn more about the different types of this disease and how they can be prevented.LEARN MORE1What Is Lung Cancer?2Lung Cancer Symptoms3Lung Cancer: Diagnosis and Tests4What Are the Causes of Lung Cancer?5Lung Cancer Treatment: A Complete Guide6What Are the Complications of Lung Cancer?7What Are the Different Types of Lung Cancer?8Lung Cancer: Stages of Lung CancerSEE MOREWhat Is Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC)?iStockByStephanie WatsonPublished on June 24, 2025Medically ReviewedbyTawee TanvetyanonON THIS PAGETypesSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentPreventionLifestyle ChangesPrognosis and OutlookComplicationsResearch and StatisticsDisparitiesRelated ConditionsSupportON THIS PAGETypesSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentPreventionLifestyle ChangesPrognosis and OutlookComplicationsResearch and StatisticsDisparitiesRelated ConditionsSupportSmall cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a fast-growing cancer that forms in the lung. It's one of two types of lung cancer. The other type is non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). SCLC is less common than NSCLC, accounting for about 15 percent of all lung cancers.[1]This cancer is named for the size of the cells, which look smaller under a microscope than healthy lung cells or NSCLC cells. Smoking is the biggest risk factor for SCLC, but even never-smokers can develop SCLC.[2]SCLC grows quickly. By the time it is diagnosed, the cancer has often spread from the lung to other parts of the body.[3] Even so, it can be curable when the cancer has barely spread or not spread at all. Even when SCLC has spread, there are treatments available to slow cancer growth and alleviate some symptoms.[4]Meet Our ExpertsSee Our Editorial PolicyMeet Our Health Expert NetworkTawee TanvetyanonMedical ReviewerTawee Tanvetyanon, MD, MPH, is a professor of oncologic sciences and senior member at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Morsani College of Medicine at the University of South Florida in Tampa. He is a practicing medical oncologist specializing in lung cancer, thymic malignancy, and mesothelioma.A physician manager of lung cancer screening program, he also serves as a faculty panelist for NCCN (National Comprehensive Cancer Network) guidelines in non-small cell lung cancer, mesothelioma, thymoma, and smoking cessation. To date, he has authored or coauthored over 100 biomedical publications indexed by Pubmed.See full bioStephanie WatsonAuthorStephanie Watson is a freelance health writer who has contributed to WebMD, AARP.org, BabyCenter, Forbes Health, Fortune Well, Time, Self, Arthritis Today, Greatist, Healthgrades, and HealthCentral. Previously, she was the executive editor of Harvard Women’s Health Watch and Mount Sinai’s Focus on Healthy Aging. She has also written more than 30 young adult books on subjects ranging from celebrity biographies to brain injuries in football.See full bioSee Our Editorial PolicyMeet Our Health Expert NetworkSign up for our Cancer Care Newsletter!Enter your emailSubscribeBy subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. , More people with small cell lung cancer are living longer thanks to early cancer screenings and newer treatments. Healthcare providers have treatments to help people to live longer and with a good quality of life and that may cure some people. Tobacco use causes small cell lung cancer. If you smoke, try to stop., Small cell lung cancer is a very aggressive form of lung cancer. Learn about small cell lung cancer symptoms, risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment. The exact cause of lung cancer isn’t .